PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE BROWNIES

Libby's Pumpkin Ad, November 14, 1949

Fall is Pumpkin Time! Add chocolate! 

Here's an easy recipe for Pumpkin Chocolate Brownies adapted from Libby's Pumpkin. My mother's name was Libby, so I always use Libby Pumpkin in recipes."Libby, Libby, Libby, on the Label, Label, Label." You can always substitute home-made' pumpkin puree that you make yourself. 
FYI: These brownies are more cakelike than chewy. With that in mind, enjoy!

PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE BROWNIES

Ingredients
Nonstick cooking spray
1/2 cup LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 large egg
2 large egg whites
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon DARK unsweetened Cocoa
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions
PREHEAT - 350° F. Spray 8- or 9-inch-square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
COMBINE - pumpkin, sugar, egg, egg whites, and oil in large mixer bowl. Beat with electric mixer on medium speed until blended. Add flour, baking powder, cocoa, cinnamon, allspice, salt, and nutmeg.
BEAT on low speed until batter is smooth. Stir in chocolate chips (or chunks). Spread evenly into prepared pan.
BAKE for 25 to 30 minutes or until wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack. Cut into 2-inch squares.

Do you have a favorite Pumpkin Chocolate Brownie recipe? Leave a comment and link!

TRIPLE CHOCOLATE CAKE: International Chocolate Day

Today is International Chocolate Day. There are actually many Chocolate Days throughout the year, and, of course, every day is Chocolate Day at DyingforChocolate.com. So to celebrate, you can take a spin back over the past years of daily chocolate recipes on this site, or you can make this Triple Chocolate Cake recipe from Tommy Bahama Restaurant & Bar. 

Triple Chocolate Cake

Ingredients
6 oz E. Guittard Cocoa Rouge cocoa powder
24 fl oz water
1 lb and 12 oz all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp iodized salt
2 1/2 Tbsp baking soda
2 1/2 lbs sugar
24 fl oz buttermilk
18 fl oz vegetable oil
7 whole eggs
1 Tbsp and 1-1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Chocolate Ganache Frosting (see recipe below)
Chocolate Whipped Cream (see recipe below)

Directions: 
Bring water to boil, turn off heat, add cocoa powder, and stir until thick. Set aside to cool.
Mix dry ingredients in mixer with whip attachment on low-medium speed for 3 minutes. Mix all liquids at once, except the chocolate mixture, with the remaining dry ingredients for 2 minutes at medium speed. Scrape well. Add chocolate mixture and mix for about 1 minute on medium speed. Set the batter aside for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease two 10” cake pans. Cut two circles, approximately 10” in diameter, out of parchment paper. Place them into greased pans. Spray parchment circles evenly with cooking spray. Pour half batter into each of the two pans.
Bake for 1 hour. (Insert toothpick into each cake after 1 hour; if comes out clean, cakes are done.) Cool cakes on wire rack.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE FROSTING

Ingredients: 
4.8 oz E. Guittard 61% Lever du Soleil semisweet chocolate wafers
28.8 oz powdered sugar
19.2 oz sour cream
19.2 oz butter, cubed
9.6 oz E. Guittard Oban unsweetened chocolate wafers

Directions: 
In double boiler, melt chocolate at 110-112°F until there are no lumps.
Slowly add butter.
In small mixer with whip attachment, add all of powdered sugar and sour cream at once. Whip on high speed until incorporated for about 2 minutes.
Add chocolate mixture to sour cream mixture and whip until the color turns light brown (like the color of milk chocolate) for about 3-4 minutes.
Refrigerate frosting for 20-30 minutes while cutting layers of cake so it firms up.
The temperature of the frosting should remain around 60°F while building the cakes.

CAKE ASSEMBLY 

Ingredients:
2 chocolate cakes, each sliced into two layers ¾” thick (for four total layers), top and sides trimmed 60 oz Chocolate Ganache frosting
3 cups chocolate cake crumbs

Directions: 
Take cooled cakes out of the pans. Invert them on cutting board, with the tops facing up.
With cake cutter, slice each cake into two layers, each 3/4” thick. Be very gentle when handling, as the cakes are very moist.
Trim all layers until they are same size.
Place all cake trimmings in food processor and pulse until coarse. Place the cake crumbs on a sheet pan and put into an oven to dry out. Reserve for later.
Evenly spread 12 oz of frosting across the top side of the bottom layer.
Repeat previous step with each remaining cake layers, stacking them as you go.
Evenly spread 12 oz of frosting over sides. Make sure frosting is smooth all over.
Remove dried-out cake crumbs from oven and sprinkle over top and sides.
Place entire cake in refrigerator.

CHOCOLATE WHIPPED CREAM

Ingredients
1 quart heavy cream
2 Tbsp E. Guittard Cocoa Rouge cocoa powder
8 oz Swiss Chalet white chocolate mousse powder

Directions
Whisk all ingredients in mixing bowl.
Transfer mixture to mixer with whip attachment and whip until cream has stiff peaks.

PLATING
Instructions: Cut cake into 8 large pieces.

***

Thanks to Tommy Bahama for this recipe!

Cartoon of the Day: Father's Day Chocolates

PATRIOTIC STRAWBERRY, BLUEBERRY, & CHOCOLATE SALAD for Fourth of July!

Here's a Patriotic Salad for the Fourth of July. Simple and easy. The Fourth be with You!

Strawberry, Blueberry, and Chocolate Salad

Combine a basket of strawberries with a basket of blueberries.
Chop dark chocolate into chunks.
Combine chocolate and fruit and toss in a raspberry vinaigrette.
One of my favorites is Brianna's Blush Wine Vinaigrette... or make your own. Keep it slightly fruity.

CHOCOLATE PAINTING: Guest Post by Amber Royer

I love when my mystery and chocolate worlds collide. Today I welcome back Amber Royer, mystery writer and chocolate maven! Amber Royer writes the Chocoverse space opera series, and the Bean to Bar Mysteries. She is also the author of Story Like a Journalist: a Workbook for Novelists, and has co-authored a chocolate-related cookbook with her husband. She also teaches creative writing and is an author coach.

AMBER ROYER: CHOCOLATE PAINTING

A couple of years ago, I took a class where we painted with colored cocoa butter, onto the smooth side of chocolate bars. The class was a lot of fun, and I duly Instagrammed about it and filed the information away to fit into my mystery series that stars a bean to bar chocolate maker. That class led directly to the newest book in the series, A Study in Chocolate, where I riff on the title in several ways. One of those is to have my protagonist offered the opportunity to sit for a chocolate painting. This would be a more elegant take on what I’d done in the class, with the artist using only different shades of chocolate, from dark to a caramelly white.

Such paintings are available commercially, either as commissioned works or showpieces. On a large scale, chocolatiers in Spain did a life-size reproduction of Picasso’s Guernica out of chocolate.  https://www.thestar.com.my/lifestyle/culture/2021/04/23/picasso039s-039guernica039-the-world039s-most-famous-anti-war-painting-recreated-with-chocolate

And you can buy a detailed chocolate portrait of Marilyn Monroe, Charlie Chaplin or Audrey Hepburn done on a chocolate “canvas” for roughly $700.  (It claims to have a shelf life of a year.) https://globalrustrade.com/products/chocolate-painting-marilyn-monroe/  The artists do the work to order, to deliver the freshest art possible.

I even found a site that advertises chocolate portraits (or mosaics) of the bride and groom for weddings, with the idea that the piece will be smashed with a hammer and distributed to the guest as a party favor.  https://www.foodisart.co.uk/services/weddings-celebrations/

There are a number of on-line tutorials if you want to try your hand doing your own chocolate painting.  

These boil down to two basic techniques:

You can paint on the slab of chocolate you are using as a canvas, using a brush, creating strokes and textures similar to an oil painting. If you want to sketch out your work first, use edible markers (made with food coloring – available from cake supply shops or some craft stores). You will either need to work quickly, so that your tempered chocolate doesn’t solidify before you can paint with it, or devise a method of keeping it warm while you work. (You can actually buy a chocolate warming pallet, with cups to hold multiple shades or colors of chocolate, or improvise with a silicon tray in a crock pot.)

The other method is more similar to how chocolatiers make hand-painted filled chocolates using molds, where they paint the inside of the mold first, then pour chocolate onto the design. For this method, you need a sheet of acetate. You paint the image you want onto the acetate. Remember to do it backwards – with the detail work face-down on the acetate.  Then you pour tempered chocolate over the top of your image, let it set, then flip it over and remove the acetate.  The benefit of this method is that you can trace an image from a photograph or other source onto the acetate to outline your work.  But you lose most of the sense of texture or brush strokes, as the acetate serves to make for a flat finished surface.

Here is my attempt to paint Ruffles, the cat you see on the cover of A Study in Chocolate.  Not only was it fun, but it felt a bit meta, since this is similar to something the characters do in the book.

__
 

PAN DE MUERTO DE CHOCOLATE: Day of the Dead

Day of the Dead is one of my favorite holidays. I have a large collection of Day of the Dead collectibles, and I love to go to local celebrations. 

This recipe for Pan de Muerto de Chocolate comes from the Hershey's Kitchens. It's a great twist on the traditional Day of the Dead sweet yeast bread, as it adds Cocoa for a rich flavor and a bright orange glaze for an extra shiny boost and flavor. This recipe makes two loaves!

PAN DE MUERTO DE CHOCOLATE

Ingredients 

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup milk 

1/2 cup water 

1 tsp anise extract 

5 cups all-purpose flour plus flour for dusting work surface, divided 

3/4 cup granulated sugar 

2 packages active dry yeast 

1 tsp salt 

4 eggs 

1/2 cup Hershey's Cocoa (or cocoa of your choice)

Directions

Line two cookie sheets or baking pans with parchment paper; set aside. 

Combine butter, milk, and water in small saucepan. Heat on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture is very warm (do NOT boil) and butter is melted. Remove from heat; stir in anise extract. 

Stir together 1/2 cup flour, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, yeast, and salt. Gradually add butter mixture, beating until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing thoroughly. Stir together remaining 4-1/2 cups flour and cocoa; gradually add to butter mixture, mixing well until soft dough begins to form.

Place dough on lightly floured surface. Knead 10 minutes (dough will be smooth and elastic). Form dough into large ball. Place dough into a lightly greased bowl; flip the dough so that all sides are greased. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size (about 2 hours). 

Heat oven to 350 F. Heat oven to 350°F. Punch dough down. Cut away about 1/4 of the dough; set aside. Divide remaining dough in half; shape into two round loaves. Place one loaf on each prepared baking sheet. Divide reserved dough into 14 equal balls. Roll 12 balls into stips ("bones") and place 6 across top of each loaf. Place remaining balls in center top of each loaf. Cover loosely with plastic wrap; let rise in warm place until doubled. 

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until bread sounds hollow when tapped. Cool slightly. Make ORANGE GLAZE; brush over tops. Cool completely. Just before serving, dust tops with powdered sugar, if desired. 

ORANGE GLAZE 

Ingredients

1/2 cup granulated sugar 

2 tablespoons freshly grated orange peel 

1/3 cup fresh squeezed orange juice 

Directions

Combine sugar, orange peel and orange juice in small saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture just comes to a boil and sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat.

CHOCOLATE & DOGS: A DEADLY COMBINATION

It's Halloween weekend, and if you're like me, there is a lot of chocolate in your house right now. Now you might be wondering why I am highlighting my golden retrievers on a Chocolate Blog, but there's a good reason. I've posted before that chocolate is dangerous for dogs. I'm careful when I cook and bake with chocolate, because golden retrievers -- well, most dogs -- will eat anything that drops on the floor, not to mention counter surfing. I only bake with good dark chocolate and that's exactly what can make dogs sick or worse.

Hills Pet Company has a very good article on Chocolate and Dogs that I want to share. I'm also reposting a Chocolate and Dogs Question &Answer about Halloween Candy. It's all good information for Dog Owners who also happen to be Chocoholics. Be safe!

Is Chocolate Bad for Dogs?

Chocolate is poisonous to dogs; however, the hazard of chocolate to your dog depends on the chocolate type, the amount consumed, and the dog's size. In large enough amounts, chocolate and cocoa products can kill your dog.

Why not chocolate?

• The toxic component of chocolate is theobromine. Humans easily metabolize theobromine, but dogs process it much more slowly, allowing it to build up toxic levels in their system.
• A large dog can consume more chocolate than a small dog before it suffers ill effects.
• A small amount of chocolate will probably only give your dog an upset stomach with vomiting or diarrhea.
• With large amounts, theobromine can produce muscle tremors, seizures, an irregular heartbeat, internal bleeding or a heart attack. The onset of theobromine poisoning is usually marked by severe hyperactivity.

A single piece of chocolate should not be a problem. A single piece doesn't contain a large enough theobromine dosage to harm your dog; however, if you have a small dog that has eaten a box of chocolates, you should go to the veterinarian immediately.

Different chocolate types have different theobromine levels. Cocoa, cooking chocolate, and dark chocolate contain the highest levels, while milk chocolate and white chocolate have the lowest. If you’re dealing with any quantity of dark or bitter chocolate, err on the side of caution. The high level of theobromine in dark chocolate means it takes only a very small amount to poison a dog. Less than an ounce of dark chocolate may be enough to poison a 44-pound dog.

The usual treatment for theobromine poisoning is to induce vomiting within two hours of ingestion. If you are worried that your dog may have eaten a large quantity of chocolate, call your veterinarian as soon as possible.

Of course, never consider chocolate as a reward.

And here's another article on Chocolate and Dogs and Halloween: 

It's a Q &A between Neenda Pellegrini and Dr. Sheppard Thorpe, an emergency veterinarian at Puget Sound Veterinary Referral Center in Tacoma about Halloween and Pets that appeared in the Seattle Times.  Read the entire article HERE.

Pet ingestion of Halloween treats can cause vomiting, diarrhea, hyperactivity, pancreatitis, heart arrhythmias, seizures, liver disease, kidney disease, gastrointestinal obstruction and even death.

Dangerous or even fatal chocolate toxicity is rare because knowledgeable owners usually get their chocolate-eating pets into the clinic within a few hours of ingestion. Once the pet arrives, we do what is called "decontamination" -- vomiting is induced and then activated charcoal is administered.

We also see pets with general vomiting and diarrhea from gastrointestinal upset after they've eaten candy, wrappers and holiday decorations. This can be very serious if the pet develops pancreatitis or if the pet becomes very dehydrated.

A quick and timely response makes the treatment much easier on your pet and your wallet.

Question: Why is chocolate dangerous? Is some chocolate -- dark or bittersweet chocolate -- worse than others, such as milk or white chocolate?

Answer: Chocolate contains an active ingredient called theobromine, which is toxic to pets. Theobromine is a stimulant that pets are more sensitive to than people and can cause hyperactivity, elevated heart rate, twitching and tremoring, vomiting and diarrhea and, worst of all, seizures.

Dark chocolate is more potent, having a higher concentration of theobromine, and, therefore, is more toxic. All chocolate (cakes or brownies, milk chocolate, white chocolate, chocolate syrup, cocoa powder) is considered "rich." Although not as serious as theobromine toxicity, foods with high sugar and fat contents can cause serious stomach and bowel problems. Decontamination and quick treatment is key.

Question: What harm can one little candy bar do?

Answer: It depends on the size of your pet, the presence of any underlying conditions and the amount of chocolate your pet has ingested.

A Hershey's Kiss is safe for a 70-pound Labrador retriever to eat but harmful to a 3-pound Chihuahua.

Another problem with "just one little treat" is that dogs can develop a liking to chocolate and soon may be climbing on the table to help themselves to that whole bowl of Halloween candy.

The power of the dog nose can also help them find that wrapped box of chocolates under the Christmas tree or hidden away for Valentine's Day. I know one Beagle who learned to open the pantry, and he loved to eat the brownie mix.

Question: What should I do if my pet accidentally eats chocolate? What symptoms should I watch for?

Answer: Call your regular veterinarian or local emergency/referral veterinary hospital for recommendations.

It helps to have the candy wrapper with the list of ingredients and percentage of cacao or cocoa in the product.

Monitor your pet for hyperactivity, elevated heart rate, vomiting/diarrhea, tremors, twitches and seizures although preventive treatment long before any of these symptoms is the best approach.

Check out www.veterinarypartner.com and look up chocolate toxicity. This website has an excellent chart comparing the number of ounces of chocolate a pet would need to ingest for toxicity. READ MORE HERE.  

PASSOVER CHOCOLATE BROWNIES: 4 Recipes

I've posted this before, but I'm a huge brownie fan, so it bears reposting. Passover begins Friday night, and if you observe the Passover holiday (8 days) you won't be eating any leavened food products. So in terms of chocolate baking you need to tweak some things, starting with not using flour. This doesn't mean you can't have Chocolate Cake, Brownies, or Cookies ..  just an adjustment. And, if you're gluten-free, you'll love the first recipe. Baking without flour shouldn't be a problem, and these recipes are great any time, not just for Passover.

So for Passover week, here are 4 different recipes for Passover Brownies. Think of them as Flourless Brownies! You love Flourless Chocolate Cake, right? Try all the recipes and let me know which you like best. Do you have your own favorite recipe for Passover Brownies? Be sure and share by linking below.

These first two recipes I adapted from recipes I found on Chowhound in 2008.

Passover Chocolate Brownies #1

Ingredients
8 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
5 eggs, separated
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped (not chocolate chips)
8 ounces finely chopped or ground almonds (or almond flour)
Pinch of salt

Directions
Cream butter and sugar together. Mix in egg yolks.
Melt chocolate over double boiler (or over saucepan over saucepan with simmering water). Cool and add to butter mixture. Add finely ground almonds.
Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Fold into batter.
Pour into 9" square greased baking tin.
Bake in a preheated 350 oven for 45-50 min.
Cool and cut into squares.

Passover Chocolate Brownies #2

Ingredients
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup of matzo cake meal
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup DARK cocoa
3 large eggs
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Directions
Mix oil and sugar.
Add eggs and mix again.
Sift matzo cake meal and cocoa together and add to mixture.
Fold in nuts and mix thoroughly.
Grease 8 x 8 pan and pour in batter.
Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.
Cool and cut in squares.

This third recipe is originally from Gourmet 2000 ( Epicurious). It calls for a Chocolate-Wine Glaze, and you might want to try that. I like my brownies unadulterated, but I've tried the chocolate-wine glaze, and it's delicious. Nothing quite like Chocolate and Manischewitz!

Passover Chocolate Brownies #3

Ingredients
6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup unsalted margarine (if keeping brownies pareve) or butter, cut into pieces
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
Pinch of Salt
2 tsp finely grated fresh orange zest
3/4 cup matzo cake meal
3/4 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line bottom and sides of a 9-inch square baking pan with wax paper or greased foil.
Melt chocolate and margarine (or butter) in metal bowl over saucepan of simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and cool 5 minutes.
Beat eggs, sugar, and salt in large bowl with electric mixer on high until pale and thick. Beat in chocolate in 3 batches on low speed. Stir in zest, matzo meal, and nuts just until blended.
Spread batter in baking pan and bake in middle of oven until firm and tester comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.
Cool in pan on rack, then invert onto a platter and remove paper or foil.
Cut into Squares.

Passover Chocolate Brownies #4

Ingredients
2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips (or dark chocolate, chopped)
1/2 cup unsalted butter or margarine
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup matzoh cake meal
2 Tbsp unsweetened DARK cocoa powder
2 Tbsp potato starch
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Directions
Preheat oven to 350. Grease 8-inch square baking dish.
Melt chocolate and butter in double boiler or in saucepan on top of another saucepan with simmering water. Set aside to cool slightly.
In mixing bowl, stir together cake meal, cocoa powder, and potato starch.
Combine eggs, granulated sugar, and vanilla in large bowl. Beat with electric mixer until light and creamy – about 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in chocolate mixture until smooth, then add cake meal mixture, beating on low speed just until combined. Batter is thick.
Fold in chopped nuts and spread in prepared baking dish.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or just until entire surface has puffed slightly. Brownies will still be moist in center.
Remove from oven and cool before cutting into squares.

I especially love Passover Brownies #4--very, very fudgy!!! Of course, always use high quality chocolate! It really makes a difference!!!

San Francisco International Chocolate Salon: April 2, 2022

TasteTV and the International Chocolate Salon release the first collection of NFT's for the upcoming chocolate festival in San Francisco on April 2nd.

The San Francisco Chocolate Salon NFTs include custom artistic renditions of its 14th anniversary poster. There are 10 custom versions, each limited to 7 editions each. Each collectible San Francisco Chocolate Salon NFT has utility, surprise exclusive perks and membership benefits, and is a fully tradeable NFT.

NFTs (non fungible tokens) are linked to the world of blockchain and cryptocurrencies, and have grown in popularity in the art world over the last few years, with some pieces of digital art being collected as NFTs and reaching valuations of tens of thousands to millions of dollars. The use of NFTs has now expanded into films, music, and even live events such as Coachella, as well as exclusive restaurant and club memberships.

For the San Francisco Chocolate Salon NFTs collection there will only be 7 total tokens of each version minted, and 70 in the entire collection. Only 50 NFTs will be available for purchase and collecting. SF Salon NFT's can initially only be purchased through the SF Chocolate Salon website ticketing area, www.SFChocolateSalon.com

To view the collection, visit:

https://opensea.io/collection/sfchocolatesalon1

ADVANCE TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE   Taste & experience the finest in artisan, gourmet & premium chocolate in one of the world’s great culinary metropolitan regions, the San Francisco Bay Area The Original and Premier Artisan Chocolate Festival on the West Coast takes place at the  SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL CHOCOLATE SALON WHEN: April 2, 2022 11:00am - 5:00pm  WHERE: San Francisco County Fair Building Hall of Flowers Golden Gate Park 1199 9th Ave at Lincoln Way San Francisco, CA 94122  This Event will Sell Out in Advance *No Tickets or Sales at Door, including books, t-shirts, and limited edition Chocolate Salon NFTs.

 

Cartoon of the Day: Restraining Order

Cartoon of the Day: Advent Calendar

Best Chocolate in the U.S.: National Chocolates Day

You all know that every day is Chocolates Day, but today is one of several designated "Chocolate" food holidays. To celebrate, I thought I'd refer you to this article that came out in Food & Wine the other day: Best Chocolate in the U.S. F&W's editors reveal their picks for the best chocolate in the country. I've had chocolate from most of the shops, but I was pleased to find a few I still need to try. Also glad to see some San Francisco chocolatiers!  

This list will also help you choose some great chocolates as holiday gifts!

What are your favorite chocolates? Make a comment below. Read the entire article HERE.

Some of the picks:

François Payard

Third-generation chocolatier and genius pastry chef François Payard creates outstanding homemade chocolate confections, superb fluffy macarons and beautiful cakes at his elegant bakeries in New York City, Las Vegas, Japan and Korea. payard.com

 

See's Candies

The flagship store of this classic American chocolate company opened in 1921 in Los Angeles. Today there are more than 200 locations across the country offering delicious chocolate candies filled with nuts, marzipan and nougat. F&W’s Kate Krader gets nostalgic for See’s Milk Bordeaux ($24.50), candy filled with brown sugar cream and topped with crispy chocolate puffed rice. sees.com

Recchiuti Confections

San Francisco chocolatier Michael Recchiuti creates market-driven confections like chocolate-dipped pear slices flavored with Key lime juice, and homey chocolate desserts such as Quadruple Chocolate Brownies. F&W editors also love Recchiuti’s dark chocolate-covered burnt caramel almonds and the seasonal peppermint patties. recchiuti.com

Vosges Haut-Chocolat

Owner and chocolate visionary Katrina Markoff flavors chocolates with unexpected ingredients (curry powder, bee pollen) and packs them in boldly designed boxes. Markoff is also a pioneer of the bacon-and-chocolate trend and now has glamorous boutiques in Chicago, New York, Las Vegas and Los Angeles. vosgeschocolate.com

 

Christopher Elbow Artisanal Chocolates

Pastry chef Christopher Elbow worked at the American Restaurant in Kansas City, Missouri, until the demand for his chocolate petits fours convinced him to launch his own candy business in 2003. His beautiful hand-painted chocolates come in creative flavors like bananas Foster and caramel apple. Elbow also makes fantastic chocolate bars, including the favorite among F&W editors, No. 6 Dark Rocks, made with dark chocolate and popping candy. elbowchocolates.com

Read the rest of the article, here.

Chocolate Chip Cranberry Scones

The other day I posted a recipe for White Chocolate Apricot Scones. I'm a big fan of scones. They're not biscuits, and they're not cupcakes... they're something in-between. It's all about the batter. And, American scones add more butter than British scones. Just an FYI.  I tend to make them less sweet. So for today's post here's a recipe for Chocolate Chip Cranberry Scones. I'm pretty sure I adapted this recipe from one on the Recchiuti blog, but can't seem to find a link. I've made these a few times, and they're easy and delicious. You can also substitute dried cherries in this recipe, just leave out the orange zest. I usually serve my scones with clotted cream or sweet butter..and sometimes a little jam. Enjoy!

CHOCOLATE CHIP CRANBERRY SCONES


Ingredients:
1 cup buttermilk
1 extra large egg
1Tbsp pure Madegascar vanilla extract
3 1/2 Tbsp granulated cane sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp orange zest, about 2 oranges
1 cup unsalted butter, very cold and cubed
1/3 cup dark chocolate chips
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1 cup heavy whipping cream (used for brushing tops of scones)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line the bottoms of two 12-by-18-inch sheet pans with parchment paper.
Combine buttermilk, egg, and vanilla extract in medium bowl and whisk by hand until well mixed.
Sift flour, baking powder, and baking soda into bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Add sugar, salt, and orange zest. Beat on low speed until combined.
Carefully add cold butter and beat on medium speed until mixture resembles coarse meal.
Switch mixer to low speed. Add liquid mixture and beat until just combined.
Turn mixer off. Add cranberries and chocolate chips. Pulse until just incorporated. Do not over-mix.
Turn out onto lightly floured work surface, and press into flat square about 1 inch thick. Cut into 2-inch squares and place on prepared pans, spacing about 2 inches apart.
Brush surface with heavy whipping cream. Bake on middle shelves of oven until tops are golden and have some spring when pressed with finger, about 20 minutes.
Serve warm or let cool on pans on wire racks.

Double Layer Chocolate Pumpkin Mousse Pie for Thanksgiving

Some of you may remember that I posted this recipe for Double Layer Chocolate Pumpkin Mousse Pie for Canadian Thanksgiving. Well, in case you didn't bookmark it, here it is is again for our own Thanksgiving! This recipe for Double Layer Chocolate Pumpkin Mousse Pie is an all-time favorite. Recipe from the Dairy Farmers of Canada website Dairy Goodness. Make this one for Thanksgiving. You will love it!

Double Layer Chocolate Pumpkin Mousse Pie

Ingredients

Crust:
1-1/2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs (chocolate wafers that have been crushed)
1/4 cup sweet butter, melted

Chocolate Ganache Layer:
8 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 Tbsp sweet butter, softened
1 cup whipping cream

Pumpkin Layer:
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup pumpkin puree
2 tsp Madagascar vanilla extract
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp cloves
1 cup thick whipping cream
Whipped cream, to garnish
Freshly grated nutmeg

Directions

Crust:
In bowl, combine cookie crumbs and butter until moistened and pat evenly into bottom and up side of 10-inch deep pie plate. Bake in preheated 350 °F oven for about 10 minutes or until firm. Let cool.

Chocolate Ganache Layer:
Place chocolate and butter in bowl. In small saucepan bring cream to boil. Pour over chocolate and let stand for 1 minute. Slowly whisk chocolate until melted and smooth. Gently pour into cooled crust. Place in refrigerator for about 1 hour or until set.

Pumpkin Layer:
Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat Cream Cheese and Sugar until fluffy. Beat in pumpkin, vanilla extract, cinnamon, ginger and cloves until smooth.

Whip cream. Fold half of cream into pumpkin mixture until light. Fold in remaining whipped cream until well combined. Spread over top of chocolate layer and smooth top. Refrigerate for about 2 hours or until set and firm. (If you make ahead: you can cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.)

Garnish with whipped cream and nutmeg before serving.

Photo: Dairy Farmers of Canada

Annual Fall Chocolate Salon: November 20

TasteTV and the International Chocolate Salon are pleased to announce that the Holiday and Seasonal Chocolate Show for the San Francisco Bay Area takes place on November 20th at the 7th Annual Fall Chocolate Salon.

An intimate setting, the Fall Chocolate Salon is the perfect place to find the perfect gift, while tasting and savoring the chocolate lovers experience in one of the world's great culinary metropolitan areas.

November 20th, at the Hotel Kabuki in San Francisco's popular Japantown district.

Advanced Tickets available through November 19th  (while quantities last, $20 advance, Limited Tickets at the Door. $25 door)

Celebrating its anniversary and National Holiday Chocolate Day, curated 2016 chocolatiers and artisan culinary partners include Amano Artisan Chocolates, Kindred Cooks, Heavenly Taste Toffee, Endorfin, Basel B, Rainy Day Chocolate, Fera'wyn's Artisan Chocolates, Philip Marks Chocolates, CaCoCo, Firefly Chocolate, Alter Eco, CocoTutti Chocolates, Fab Delight's Chocolate Truffles, Cowboy Toffee Company, o'cacao, Starchild chocolate, Be a gourmet, New Orleans Bill, Farm Fresh to You, Welk Resorts, and more.


www.FallChocolateSalon.com

Chocolate Covered Pomegranate Seeds for Rosh Hashana

Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, starts tonight. I've already posted a recipe for Chocolate Honey Cake for a sweet New Year, but here's an easy last minute recipe. It will be great tomorrow night (or tonight). Chocolate Covered Pomegranate Seeds.

On the second night of Rosh Hashanah, a "new fruit" is eaten. It's usually a fruit that has recently come into season but that you haven't yet had the opportunity to eat. Traditionally, one says the shehechiyanu blessing thanking G-d for keeping you and yours alive and bringing you to this season. This ritual reminds everyone to appreciate the fruits of the earth and being alive to enjoy them.

A pomegranate is often the new fruit. In the Bible, the Land of Israel is praised for its pomegranates. It is also said that this fruit contains 613 seeds just as there are 613 mitzvot (commandments). Another reason given for blessing and eating pomegranate on Rosh Hashanah is that one wishes that good deeds in the ensuing year will be as plentiful as the seeds of the pomegranate.

For this recipe for Dark Chocolate Covered Pomegranate Seeds, I buy packages of Pomegranate seeds at Trader Joe's, but you can always go the old fashioned way and buy two whole pomegranates and remove the seeds. For an easy way to deseed pomegranates, see this post. Rich sweet dark chocolate goes very well with the tart pomegranate flavor, and the textures meld well. Even if you're not celebrating the Jewish New Year, Chocolate Covered Pomegranate Seeds make a great snack, and you'll enjoy the benefits of both sources of antioxidants. 

DARK CHOCOLATE COVERED POMEGRANATE SEEDS

Ingredients
Pomegranate Seeds
About 7 ounces (depending how many seeds you have) of good quality Dark Chocolate, chopped

Directions
Line cookie sheet with wax or parchment paper.
Melt dark chocolate in double boiler or saucepan on top of saucepan of simmering water. Stir to make sure chocolate doesn't burn.
Add dry pomegranate seeds (so if they've been in the refrigerator make sure to dry them) to melted chocolate and fold gently with rubber spatula until seeds are thoroughly covered.
Spoon clusters of mixture onto wax or parchment paper.
Place wax or parchment papered cookie sheet in refrigerator and let chocolate covered seeds cool for several hours or overnight.
Keep refrigerated. Will last 3-4 days.

No time to cook? 
Trade Joe's sells chocolate covered pomegranate seeds. They're in very small clusters.

Chocolate and Migraines: Good News

For those of you who suffer with migraines or know someone who does, there's good news! Researchers from Missouri State University say an animal study shows that dietary supplements of cocoa might repress inflammatory responses in the brain linked to migraines.

I'm not surprised by this. Chocolate and red wine seem to be too food items that people think trigger migraines. However, whenever I get a migraine, I eat chocolate or drink red wine (if it's afternoon.. I still can't get past that) or drink a coke. It works for me.

This study on the benefits of chocolate and migraines was presented at the International Headache Society's 14th Congress in Philadelphia several years ago. Basically the result shows that consuming a diet enriched with 10 percent cocoa increased levels of anti-inflammatory compounds in the brain, as well as repressing levels of pro-inflammatory processes.

Considering that 36 million Americans have migraines, this is definitely good news.
Read more here.

So throw off the myth that chocolate causes migraines. It might be more about what's in the chocolate: how much sugar, milk, or additives. A different study showed that chocolate contains tyramine and phenylethylamine, and although that can trigger migraines, they are found in such low concentrations that it's very rare that chocolate alone can bring on a migraine.

Here's a list of Food Triggers according to Health.com. Before you blame the chocolate, check to see if you didn't have some cheese or raisins or bacon at the same meal.

Food triggers
Here's a partial list of major food triggers, according to the National Headache Foundation.

* Ripened cheeses (such as cheddar, Emmentaler, Stilton, Brie, and Camembert)
* Chocolate
* Marinated, pickled, or fermented food
* Foods that contain nitrites or nitrates (bacon, hot dogs) or MSG (soy sauce, meat tenderizers, seasoned salt)
* Sour cream
* Nuts, peanut butter
* Sourdough bread
* Broad beans, lima beans, fava beans, snow peas
* Figs, raisins, papayas, avocados, red plums
* Citrus fruits
* Excessive amounts (more than 2 cups total) of caffeinated beverages such as tea, coffee, or cola
* Alcohol (including red wine and beer)

My migraine cures are listed as migraine causes. So wrong--at least for me!

Chocolate is so good for you in so many ways!

Wine and Chocolate Pairings

I came across this fabulous guide to wine and chocolate pairing from ProFlowers.  It pairs 14 popular chocolates like peanut butter cups and chocolate covered espresso beans with complimentary wines. I asked Taylor Poppmeier, the creator of this pairing, if we could post on DyingforChocolate. Enjoy!

Taylor Poppmeier

As a self-admitted chocoholic, it's obvious that I enjoy my fair share of my favorite treat. I have always enjoyed a glass of red with a square (or bar) of dark chocolate but was hesitant to enjoy anything more adventurous out of fear that the taste of both would clash. Some connoisseurs argue that the bold flavors make pairing difficult so I am sharing a handy guide with you. ProFlowers created an easy cheat sheet for wine and chocolate pairings. They included everything from high end lavender truffles to the classic favorites like peanut butter cups. So peel open that candy bar and pour yourself a glass of wine. Cheers!

Basic Wine and Chocolate Pairing Rules:

1. The wine should be as sweet as the chocolate.
2. Begin pairing by color. The darker the chocolate, the darker the wine.
3. When possible, opt for a high quality chocolate bar.
4. Consider texture as well as taste.

What to Do with Leftover Chocolate Ganache

Ganache is the French term for a smooth mixture of chopped chocolate and heavy cream. To make ganache, hot cream is poured over chopped chocolate and the mixture is stirred until smooth.  (see easy recipe below)

So today's post is all about what to do with Leftover Ganache. O.K., maybe you've already eaten it all.. but if you haven't, put leftover Ganache in the freezer and save for any of the idea below. Ganache will freeze for up to 3 months. Be sure to defrost before using.

What to do with Leftover Ganache:

1. Truffles: Roll chilled (not frozen) ganache into balls, roll in cocoa or nuts. Instant Truffles!! Or warm and whip with your favorite liqueur, chill and roll into truffles!

2. Chocolate Fondue: Thin with half and half and use as chocolate fondue.

3. Chocolate Mousse: Reheat in double boiler to soften, add whipped cream and whip it all up to make a quick chocolate mousse.

4. Chocolate Sauce: Thin with more cream and use as chocolate sauce over ice cream.

5. Sandwich Cookie Filling: Use as filling in sandwich cookies. Put cookies in the freezer, and it's almost like having ice cream sandwiches!

6. Mocha Latte: Add to coffee and stir for mocha latte.

7. Rocky Road Fudge: Warm it up, stir in nuts and mini-marshallows, pour into cake pan, put in fridge for great Rocky Road Fudge.

8. Icing: Use as icing on cake or cupcakes. Warm and beat in powdered sugar or use as is.

9. Dip for Fruit: Use to coat strawberries. Dip strawberries (or any fruit) in warm ganache. Cool and serve.

10.  Dip for Cookies: Just like fruit, dip cookies in warm ganache for double the chocolate!

11. Tarts: Warm and pour into prepared tart cups, for instant chocolate tarts.

12. S'mores: Spread on graham crackers, add marshmallows and put on grill for S'mores.

13. Hot Chocolate: Whisk in hot milk for some super hot chocolate!

14. Croissants: Spread over croissants, warm in oven --instant chocolate croissants!

15. Breakfast Spread: Spread on any bread for a sweet breakfast.

16. Crepe filling: Mix with equal part mascarpone and fill crepes! 

17. Just eat it!

Like any other good chocolate based product, the taste and quality of the Ganache depends on the quality of chocolate you start with. FYI: Chocolate with a higher cocoa butter content will produce a ganache that is firmer than one made with a chocolate that has a low cocoa butter content. Most important when choosing a chocolate for making ganache is whether you like the chocolate when you eat it.

There are so many Ganache Recipes out there. I don't have a favorite, but would love to hear if you do. Here's an Easy Ganache Recipe. I'm a purist, but many people add cognac or brandy to their recipes.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Ingredients
12 ounces good quality chocolate, chopped
2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 Tbsp sweet butter

Directions
Place chocolate in medium sized bowl. 
Heat cream over medium low heat until just barely begins to boil. Remove from heat immediately. Do not over-heat! 
Pour hot cream over chocolate and let sit for about a minute. 
Stir mixture (gently) until chocolate is melted and blended with cream. 
Add in butter and combine. Do not beat mixture.

Piña Colada Fudge: National Piña Colada Day!

Today is National Piña Colada Day! Definitely a holiday I can get behind, particularly on a Sunday. So how to add Chocolate? Easy... Piña Colada Fudge! Here's a simple recipe for Pina Colada Fudge that includes one of my sweet favorites--marshmallow creme (marshmallow fluff) and chocolate. As always, use the very best white chocolate--not the artificial white chocolate disks.

PINA COLADA FUDGE

Ingredients
1 pound chopped white chocolate or white chocolate chips
3/4 cup marshmallow crème or fluff
1 cup shredded coconut, (unsweetened)
4 Tablespoons butter, softened
3/4 teaspoon rum  (or rum extract)
3/4 teaspoon coconut extract
7 ounces sweetened condensed milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped dried pineapple

Directions
Line 8-by-8-inch pan with aluminum foil, and spray foil with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
In large microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate in microwave, stirring after every 30 seconds to prevent overheating. Stir until chocolate is smooth and completely free of lumps. Add marshmallow crème, coconut, butter, extracts, sweetened condensed milk. and salt; stir until butter melts and everything is combined. Add chopped pineapple at the end and stir to combine evenly.
Pour fudge into prepared pan, and smooth into even layer.
Allow fudge to set at room temperature overnight, or in refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours.
Once set, lift fudge from pan using foil as handles.
Use sharp knife to cut fudge into 1-inch squares to serve.